Coupling



May 20, l947- G. 1 RlGGlNs 2,420,725

COUPLING Filed Aug. 1l, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www www May I20, 1947. lG. RIGGlNs GOULING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1l, 1944 lllr T lm WNF.,

Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATE s PATENT oFFlcr;

COUPLING Glen L. Rggins, Greene, Iowa Application August 11, 1944, Serial No. 549,076

` Claims.

This invention relates generally to coupling devices for vehicles and contemplates a coupling or hitch in which the coupling and uncoupling operations between the vehicles may be accomplished from the operators station on the traction vehicle, thereby to expedite such operations and provide a time-saving arrangement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hitch which permits vertical movement only at the coupling whereby a backing-up operation of the coupled vehicles may be accomplished and sufficient flexibility is aorded in a vertical direction to facilitate movement through a ditch or over undulating ground.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a latch for the coupling, which latch is l'inherently more rugged and stronger than the latches of the prior art coupling devices and better adapted to resist bending, shearing, or wear ing of the parts in use thereof.

An additional object resides in the provision -of a latch which is pivotally supported in the coupling in such a manner that the pull exerted on the latch by the towed vehicle promotes a self locking action of the latch or urges the latch into a locked position, thereby to insure a positive connection between the coupled vehicles.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention not specifically stated hereinabove are those inherent in or implied from the novel combination and arrangement of parts as will become more clearly apparent from a consideration of the following description, reference being had 'to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of acoupling constructed accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention and shows the coupling secured to the drawbar of a 'tractor and in Aa position for coupling the tractor to the tongue of a wagon,

Figure 2 is a Vplan view of the parts shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line -4-0 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional viewtaken along the line 5;-5 of Figure 3, and

Figurev is a sectional view taken along the line of Figure 3. Referring now to the drawings for a more de- 'tailed description of the invention, the'numeral il) generally designates a coupling vwhich 'may 'be advantageously 'employed .for use onpleasure Tand business vehicles and trailers therefor, vari- 'u's 'types yof agricultural machinery, 'and other 2 kinds of vehicles, but which is particularly adapted for use with corn. pickers and wagons drawn thereby.

The coupling or hitch I0 is carried by the drawbar, generally designated Il, of the corn picker for tractor and is adapted to engage in locked relation therewith the pin `I2 carried by the tongue I3 of the wagon, the pin being riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to plates I4 which may be bolted or otherwise secured tothe tongue in any conventional manner.

The hitch I0 comprises a tubular member I5 of rectangular cross section to which channel members I6 comprising the drawbar Il are secured as by a suitable number of bolts and screws therefor generally designated Il. The tubular member I5 is biiurcated a substantial portion of the length thereof to form `slots I8 on opposite sides of the member for receiving the tongue pin i2 Well into the coupling, the member I0 being of such a width as to be slidably and snugly received between the plates I4 of the tongue I3, as best appears in Figure 4. The entrance to the slots I3 preferably are ared as at I9 to facilitate the entrance of the pin I2 into the slots during the coupling operation.

The tongue pin I2 is releasably retained adjacent the inner ends 20 of the slots I8 when the hitch is in a coupled condition by means of a latch 2| which is pivotally secured to the member I5 by means of a pin 22. Pin 22 preferably is riveted flush with the sides of member I5, as'

clearly appears in Figure 6, in order to clear the plates 4I at the sides thereof.

The latch 2l has an abutment orstop 23 which is yieldably urged into engagement with a coacting stop member 24 secured to the member I5 'by vmeans 4ci' a coil spring 25 disposed between such that the end surface lies in a plane perpendicular to the 4slots and parallel to the ends 20 thereof. In order to swing the latch out of this position, a lever 30, which is welded or otherwise vsecured'thereto 'is employed. Lever 130 extends "outwardly of member (I5 and is provided with an aperture 3l at the free .end thereof fior receiving `a rope or cable 32 which extends enters the slots I8, being guided therein alongv the flared surfaces I9. As the latch 2| engagesY the pin I2, the latch is yieldably pivoted about the pin 2| until the pin I2 moves adjacent the ends 20 of the slots I8, whereupon the latch snaps in place behind the pin I2 under power of spring 25 thus completing the coupling operation.

As the corn picker moves forward, the wagon towed thereby pro-duces a force on the latch by way of the tongue pin, which force urges the latch in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3, thus maintaining and urging the latch in the coupled or locked position thereof as the load is applied thereto. This action follows by reason of the disposition of the pin 22 above the slots I8 whereby an effective torque arm determined by the distance between the center of the pin 22 and the center of the slots results. The length of the torque arm is effectively increased by the perpendicular disposition of the end surface 29 of the latch whereby the line of contact between the pin I2 and the latch lies in the plane disposed centrally of the slots I8. The vaxis of rotation of the latch, however, is Sullilciently near the slots I8 such that the stresses and strains on the latch as a result of the tow load thereon are substantially entirely compresvsional. Accordingly, the construction of the latch is such as to render the same rugged and mechanically strong and durable and not subject to bending, shearing, and premature wearing of the parts as is usually encountered in the use of the hook-shaped type of latches of the prior art devices.

As the vehicles move along undulating ground,

reither the drawbar II or tongue I3 is free to pivot about the axis provided by the pin I2, and accordingly, the coupling I is free to assume different vertical positions as the vehicles assume different levels. By reason of the close t be tween the plates I4 of the tongue I3 and the member I5 of the coupling I0, and the relatively long bifurcation of the member I5, the tongue f and drawbar act as a unitary rigid structure or swinging drawbar with respect to movement horizontally thereof. Accordingly, the vehicles may be backed up without causing a buckling or jackknifing of the coupling therebetween.

In uncoupling the vehicles, rope 3,2 is pulled at the operators station thereby causing the latch l2| to pivot into the dotted line position 35 thereof` With the latch held in this position, the traction vehicle is moved forward, thus completing the uncoupling operation.

From the foregoing it should now be apparent that a coupling has been provided which readily may be manufactured, is simple and rugged in construction, is reliable in operation, and affords time-saving operations in the use thereof. When used in corn picking machinery, for example, by reason of the fact that the operator need not leave his station on the traction vehicle in coupling or uncoupling the wagons thereto, sufficient time is saved in one day to pick upwards of three more acres of corn per day.

While the invention has been described in particularity with respect to an example thereof which gives satisfactory results, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains that the same is susccpti ble of additional embodiments, variations, and additions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: l. In a coupling for vehicles, the combination 'with a tongue pin supported on spaced plates and comprising the tongue of one of said vehicles, of a tubular coupling member secured to the draw bar of the other of said vehicles and adapted slidably and snugly to be received between said plates, said tubular member having longitudinal slots formed in opposite sides thereof and extended substantially throughout the length thereof for receiving said tongue pin into a position adjacent the closed ends of said slots, a substantially rectangularly shaped latch disposed within said member and adapted on one end thereof to engage said tongue pin in line contact therewith, means for pivotally supporting said latch at its opposite, forward end on the tubular member for vertical swinging movement as a lever of the second class about an axis disposed laterally of the slots and adjacent the open ends thereof, means for releasably maintaining the latch in line contact with the tongue pin, and means connected directly to said latch and operative from one of said vehicles for raising the latch out of engagement with the tongue pin whereby the pin may be removed from the tubular member upon movement of the vehicles with respect to each other.

2. In a coupling for vehicles, the combination with a tongue pin supported on horizontally spaced plates, of a tubular coupling member adapted to be received slidably and snugly between said plates and having longitudinal slots formed in opposite sides thereof and extended substantially throughout the length thereof for receiving said tongue pin into a position adjacent the closed ends of said slots, a substantially rectangularly shaped latch disposed within said tubular member and adapted on one end thereof abuttingly to engage said tongue pin in contact therewith along a line which lies in a plane disposed centrally of said slots, means for pivotally supporting said latch at its opposite, forward end on the tubular member for vertical swinging movement as a lever of the second class about an axis disposed laterally of the slots and adjacent the open ends thereof, and means engaging the latch intermediate of its ends for yieldably maintaining the latch in a position providing said line contact between the tongue pin and latch.

3. In a coupling for vehicles, the combination with a tongue pin, of a tubular coupling member having longitudinal slots formed in opposite sides thereof for receiving said tongue pin into a position adjacent the closed ends of said Slots, said slots having flared openings to facilitate the entrance of the tongue pin thereinto, an elongated latch of substantially rectangular cross section adapted on one end thereof abuttingly to engage the tongue pin in line contact therewith, means for supporting said latch at its opposite,

swinging movement as a lever of the second class about an axis disposed laterally of the slots and adjacent the open ends thereof, means engaging the latch intermediate of its ends for yieldably maintaining the latch in said line contact with the tongue pin, and means operatively connected to the free end of the latch and manipulatable at a distance from the coupling member for raising the latch out of contact with the tongue pin.

4. A coupling adapted slidably to receive a tongue pin in releasably lockable engagement therewith comprising, in combination, a bifurcated tubular member adapted to receive said pin into the bifurcations thereof, a latch disposed Within said member for releasably locking the pin against movement thereof outwardly of the bifurcations, horizontal means for pivotally supporting said latch on said member as a lever of the second class in such a manner as to urge the latch into said locking position thereof when the pin is urged in a direction against the latch, and means for yieldably retaining the latch in said locking position thereof.

5. A coupling adapted slidably to receive a tongue pin in releasably. lockable engagement therewith comprising, in combination, a bifurcated tubular member adapted to receive said pin into the bifurcations thereof, a latch disposed Ving the latch out of the locking positiomthereof.

GIEN L. RIGGINS.

V'REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAIrlNTS Number Name Date '790,221 McCune May 16, 1905 860,763 Olsen July 23, 1907 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 366,352 Great Britain Feb. 4, 1932 

